Madison Reed Hair Dye Review

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Last updated on February 11th, 2017 at 03:15 pm

This year Eluxe magazine listed 9 of the best “natural” hair dyes. If you read my blog regularly, you probably know that I am very skeptical about the overused claim “natural” to say the least. If you look at the website of one of the natural hair dyes listed in the Eluxe magazine article, Madison Reed, the images of plants show up and the company promises you healthy hair and no harsh chemicals. Moreover, a nice board-certified Dr. Jan Hansen tells us that when she was pregnant she colored her hair but the fumes of ammonia made her sick. She claims she recommends Madison Reed hair dye to pregnant women as a healthier option.

If you look closer, it seems that Madison Reed backs up their claims that the hair dye is healthy, recommended by a doctor, and has no harsh chemicals claims, based on the fact that Madison Reed hair dye is free of ammonia, resorcinol, PPD, and Parabens. That must be good, right? It depends. Remember, whenever you see a claim that a product is “free” of something, you always have to ask what the manufacturer used instead. So let’s see!

As an example, here are the ingredients for the Madison Reed Permanent Verona Brown Hair Dye

So what is used instead of Ammonia?

Ammonia opens the cuticle layer of the hair and allows the color molecules to penetrate the hair. While the Madison Reed hair dye does not contain ammonia (yay!), it contains ethanolamine instead. According to Cosmeticsinfo.org, an educational website sponsored by personal care product manufacturers, ethanolamine has an ammonia-like odor, which is no surprise because it is produced by reacting 1 mole of ethylene oxide (a known human carcinogen, rated 10 out of 10 in the Skin Deep database) with 1 mole of ammonia.

According to the FDA, ethanolamine may also be contaminated with diethanolamine (DEA) that is linked with cancer in lab animals. In fact, Ethanolamine is rated 5-6 depending on usage (10 being the most toxic) in the Skin Deep database, while ammonia is rated 4-6. So in this case, according to the EWG database, Madison Reed actually replaced ammonia with something even more toxic! (Not yay. Boo, even.)

When I did more research for the Permanent Hair Color Rating List, I found is that “there is limited evidence that ethanolamine is a teratogen in animals. Until further testing has been done, it should be treated as a possible teratogen in humans.” (source) (Teratogens are agents that interfere with fetus development.)

The only improvement is that ethanolamine might not smell as strongly as ammonia.

So what is used instead of PPD?

PPD, aka p-phenylenediamine, is a permanent hair dye that is rated 7 out 10 in the Skin Deep database, and is associated with allergic reactions. Yes – there is no PPD in the Madison Reed hair dye, but then there is toluene-2, 5-diamine sulfate (aka PTDS). PTDS is rated in the Skin Deep database as being worse than PPD – it received an 8 as opposed to PPD’s 7. This study found that “concentration present of toluene-2,5-diamine elicited allergic reactions in concentrations that were 10-fold lower than the legal EU limit of 10%.”

This study listed PTDS as one of the potent contact sensitizers along with p-phenylenediamine (PPD), resorcinol, m-aminophenol, and p-aminophenol. (A contact sensitizer is a substance that results in a contact allergy that develops over time.) By the way, if you look at the Madison Reed hair dye ingredients, the other potent sensitizers m-aminophenol and p-aminophenol are among them. And this study found that people have experienced allergic reactions to hair dyes containing PPD, PPDS, m-aminophenol, and p-aminophenol.

So what is used instead resorcinol?

As I mentioned above, resorcinol is a potent contact sensitizer. It is toxic to the immune system. And in animal studies, resorcinol can disrupt thyroid hormone synthesis and disrupt the production of thyroid hormones by interfering with iodine uptake in the thyroid gland. It is rated 8 out of 10 in the Skin Deep database.

Madison Reed apparently uses 2-methylresorcinol to help impart color to hair. It is rated much better than resorcinol in the Skin Deep Database – it is only a 4. However, the EWG notes that there is not enough data around this substance and data gaps are a concern, so the EWG may revise its rating at some point as new data becomes available.

Thus, based on this information, I am not so sure that 2-methylresorcinol is a much better alternative than resorcinol.

And about parabens in the Madison Reed hair dye…

Parabens are used as preservatives. Paraben preservatives are linked with hormone disruption. To the company’s credit, the phenoxyethanol preservative they used instead is not linked with hormonal disruptions. Phenoxyethanol is rated 4 out of 10 in the Skin Deep database. In my opinion, there are safer preservatives that could have been used instead.

Fragrance in the Madison Reed hair dye

The color activator, barrier cream, and cleansing wipes contain fragrance – also known as parfum or perfume. Most companies do not disclose fragrance ingredients to US consumers, despite the fact that a lot of people have allergies to fragrance, because they are not required to do so by law. According to the EWG, fragrance mixes often contain diethyl phthalate, which is associated with hormone disruption. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress, and potential effects on the reproductive system. EWG has given fragrance a rating of 8 out 10.

Ethoxylated ingredients in the Madison Reed hair dye

Madison Reed uses a number of ingredients that were derived by a process known as ethoxylation, which is a manufacturing process in which ethylene oxide is added. Ethylene oxide is rated 10 out 10 in the Skin Deep database and is classified as a known human carcinogen by the US National Toxicology Program as well as the International Agency on for Research on Cancer.

As a result of the ethoxylation process, traces of unreacted ethylene oxide might be left in the final product. Moreover, 1,4-dioxane gets created during the ethoxylation process. Unless a manufacturer uses a vacuum-stripping method to get rid of 1,4-dioxane, a possible human carcinogen can remain in the final product.

According to the EWG, the presence of 1,4-dioxane in personal care/beauty products is of special concern because it can be absorbed through the skin in toxic amounts. In addition, both ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane are potent skin irritants.

Conclusion about the Madison Reed hair dye

Don’t get me wrong. I understand why you might feel compelled to use permanent hair dyes such Madison Reed. (We all want to look my age – and I should know because I have been 29 for many years now… 🙂 ) What I want is for you as a consumer to make the decision as to whether to use this product with the knowledge of the risks, especially if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. I don’t want you to base your decisions merely on assurances of safety by the company. In my opinion, I do not agree that the Madison Reed hair dye is free of harsh chemicals as it is advertised. And while it is true that the Madison Reed hair dye may be free of ammonia, resorcinol, PPD, and parabens, the substitutes might not be any better. Unfortunately, this type of substitution practice is common and requires us, consumers, to always ask the question as to what was used instead.

Please share this blog post with your friends so they also make their decisions with the knowledge you have just acquired. And if you have experienced an allergic reaction to the Madison Reed hair dye, please do not hesitate to comment for everyone’s benefit.

121 Responses

Lauren

Help! I’ve just learned how toxic hair color can be, after using it for 30 years… and now realize that my mom and aunt, who were bottle redheads into their 70s and 80s, died of multiple myeloma and bladder cancer, diseases linked to hair dye. I don’t want to go that way… or be stuck with iron-gray hair at 56. Is there a safe permanent (or semipermanent) dye out there, preferably for at-home use? I’ve spent days online trying to figure this out and finally found you! I hope you can help me. Thank you!

Danielle

I found out that I am highly allergic (went to ER after getting hair dyed and had a severe case of contact dermatitis with weeping of my scalp and head swelling) to the chemical PPD which is in all permanent dye’s. I was considering trying Madison reed but I guess it is like the other dyes. Any other suggestions on what to use?

Michelle

I too had a reaction to using the Madison Reed brand. Luckily I had only patch tested 2 areas of hair which is a really good move. There is a pretty severe rash all over my neck from the small test area in the back of my hair. My reactions to hair color takes a few days to appear but it’s severe. Previously I had been advised by a dermatologists the PPD caused the reaction but since Madision Reed is PPD free my reaction must be to other ingredients. If you are prone to allergic reactions PLEASE TEST A SMALL PATCH OF HAIR FIRST. Had I not tested I would probably be in the hospital.

Susan

henna from henna hut 🙂 ive used it 8 years straight now… 100% natural.
they have from light brown to black and red shades..i used mahogany (almost black) burgundy.. deep red (my fave) and light brown…permanent and hair conditioning(my hair was never this long)

kelly

Please, please, do not use henna if you have sensitive skin or allergic contact dermatitis like I do. I used it for awhile (over a year) and developed a terrible allergy. I had to be on steroids to get my scalp, face, and neck to calm down and wore my hair in a bun almost every day for more than a year! Also, henna cannot be taken out of your hair. It’s not like dye where you can strip your hair of it. You have to wait for it to grow out. Even if they say it’s natural it’s usually not.

Tama

D. Grifa

I would like to know if there is a safe one out there myself. I even looked into henna. Lol!! I didn’t use it because first you have to cook it. And I was told by their company if I used it, my hair would turn green then orange. That’s with the partial gray coverage. If I used the one for all gray, maybe I would get the color I was looking for. I sent it back.

Maureen

I have brown hair with gray and have used henna for light brown hair twice now and I’m very happy With it. I got mine at henna color lab and it doesn’t require any cooking. I mix with water. It’s kinda messy but worth it to me. No burning scalp as with the box color like before.

Mckenzie

Itzi

Hi,
I find this post very interesting. I’m also looking for a “save” dye that covers or blends greys, meaning by that a savier than the commonly used and selled as “organic” or “ecological”. I’m nearly sure it is impossible, but before I stop my internet research and dye my hair with henna, I would like to know what you think about another brand listed in the same article: Natulique. Does someone know anything about it? My special interest on that brand comes from the fact that it’s labelled with Ecocert, the most reliable label for ecological products in Europe. I can’t find the ingredients list in the internet, but as I trust Ecocert, I’m intrigued about your or someone else’s opinion about it.
Thanks and keep going on with this amazing blog

Hi Itzi, I would be curious to take a look at the ingredients. Would you be able to contact them and ask for a complete list of ingredients for a color you would be buying? I appreciate your help. Thanks!

Vicki

I live in Tasmania, Australia. I contacted the rep for Natulique in Australia, as was getting confused when I noticed connections between Natulique and Nuturigin (one of the other recommendations from the Eluxe review) when searching for the products i could buy for home use. See excerpt from his reply below;

“Naturigin and Naturalique come from the same company originating in Denmark owned and operated by Stig and Mette Bundgaard.
One is retail/the other salon.
Naturigin is a home use retail product that you apply yourself.
Naturalique is the salon professional range of tints that salons would apply during a salon service.
Both products share the same ethos and look to provide the best results without the use of many harmful chemicals.”
He is correct for the Australian market, Naturalique is not available here for the home use buyer, you have to find a salon that uses it, but no worries purchasing Naturigin products online and maybe some retail outlets.

geri

maria

Thank you for your research! I have been studying hair dye ingredients for hours on end. Just when a manufacturer’s ads sound like the solution I read on and find it’s still has dangerous chemicals. I don’t want to go henna as I am mostly if not total grey and have heard horror stories of pink or purple hair. I was about to purchase Herbatint (another ad promoting only the healthy ingredients, but upon further research, realized it had many harsh unsafe chemicals as well) Then I was lured into the Madison Reed ad with the list of all the chemicals it said it was “free” of. But then I got quite skeptical when I couldn’t find anywhere on their web page a list of ingredients it does have. A company that won’t list their ingredients makes me wonder “what are they trying to hide?”. Your blog was the first one I could find with the ingredients. Not to mention what those ingredients are about. So thank you very much! I need good grey coverage, but as safe as possible. Any suggestions from you or other readers?

Elisa Long

WARNING: If anyone has allergies with common hair dyes Madison Reed is NOT a safe alternative!!!

Thank you for your information on Madison Reed hair dyes and their not-so-safe chemical substitutions. I wish I would’ve read this before I used their product because I’m having an allergic reaction to it right now.
I love having black hair, but developed a severe allergy after years of use so I had to stop. The doctors said I was allergic to PPD which I see in all commercial hair dyes. I thought Madison Reed would be safe to use, but it’s not!! I didn’t have a reaction on my wrist from the patch test so I went ahead with dying my hair. I must have done the test wrong because my scalp is on fire now and welting up in hives just like with PPD dyes. I hope I don’t end up in the hospital from this.

kelly

I’m just reading this and its been very helpful, I’m glad I read the comment from Elisa Long….I almost ordered Madison Reed! I sure hope you recovered without too much pain, I know how horrible it is…my last hair color sent me to the burn unit…it was so bad….it was done in the salon. I just bought Naturcolor and was going to bring it to my stylist to do a patch test but after doing some investigating of the ingredients and reading this blog I don’t think its any safer then Madison Reed! I’ve been tinting my hair with coffee for months, its helped a bit but I sure miss that fresh color….does anyone know of ANY options?????

kelly

No, but I will read up on it….I did read a bit about it and I’m concerned about the Hydrogen Peroxide that’s in it!!!!I ended up taking back the “organic” stuff I bought the other day because of the bad ingredients….so glad I stumbled across you blog!!! BTW the hair color is called NATURECOLORS! that’s the one I returned!!!!

Evelyn L O'Marah

I used Madison Reed and ended up in the hospital. My scalp itched so much, but even worst, my scalp and faced swallowed up. There were wet sections all over my scalp where the chemical reaction was even worse.
I have tried several other products, including Natural Based, but I have had painful reactions as well. I found Natural Temporary Hair Dye Sanotint Reflex which I have tried and are happy with. It has taken few applications, but I know appreciate not having a chemical reaction. I am 49 years old and had never color my hair before. My hair is black, curly and coarse, so I guess it requires several tries for the hair to addapt. It doesn’t completely cover all my grey, but I am happy with the coat it creates.
I hope this helps and gives you all an alternative with the Sanotint Reflex.
Best,
Evelyn

Hi Evelyn: I would be curious to take a look at the ingredients of Sanotint Reflex. Could you email them to me? How long does this dye last? I assume it washes off, right? Is it semi-permanent? Thank you! Have you looked into Hairprint, the hair treatment product I use? ~Irina

Evelyn L O'Marah

Hi Irina,
I will gather the information and send it to you. I had to try few times before I was able to get a 80-90% coverage. I had never dyed my hair and I have a thick, coarse and BLACK hair. It starts to wash off within 2-4 washes, but I think it also dependes on your type of hair. My hair is coarse and very black so I think it requires extra applications to stick. I am confident that as I continue to use it, my hair will adapt. So far it has worked that way. Best!

Gee taylor

Thanks to Elisia Long. I purchased and after receiving my madison reed i did the test in upper arm section and did not receive a reaction. But, after reading your review stating you also did the wrist test but received allergic reaction once it was applied to the hair, I don’t think i’ll take any chances. That type of allergic reaction is horrible and i’ll take any advise and precausions to avoid it. Even though it may be a great product for some, your experience with MR and your response is exactly what I was searching for and was the determining factor of me deciding I should not use Thanks again! Gee t.

Cat

Wow I feel your pain Elisa, I have been going through the same allergic reaction over the past few years trying to find a safe clean product.I am a cancer surviver and am very nervous about using all these chemicals in my hair products. I have tried many of the claimed “Organic/Natural” products on the market and with each one my reaction becomes worse. I’m to the point of now growing my grey hair out because I can’t tolerate the pain and outbreak on my scalp, neck, and back any longer. My scalp is still broke out from using Herbatint over two and a half months ago. Thank goodness I found this blog…. I was only minutes away from getting ready to order Madison Reed after reading their website but as Maria noted above, they did not list their ingredients which put up a red flag for me also. You certainly did a remarkable job explaining all the ingredients and how we as consumers must beware. But I’m beginning to think no hair product is safe. I am also wondering now about the Naturigin product, it seems to be my last resort before I have to become a total grey head which I am NOT ready for yet. Vicki thanks for passing along your info. I understand that European companies have tighter restrictions regarding the use of harsh chemicals so I’m hoping Naturigin, a Belgium company, will be a cleaner product. I too would be very interested in hearing more about this product and if anyone has had allergic reactions using it.

Vicki

Vicki from Tas again, Well I have just tried Tints of Nature and all went well, keeping in mind that I get instant dermatitis if my hands even smell a normal dishwashing detergent, but I used the wrong colour, the medium blonde (7.0) gave me my old warm brown colour back, whereas I’m trying to go lighter to ease into going natural grey, sigh.. so am going to try the Naturigin light ash blonde in a couple of weeks, will let you know how it goes. Also a point to note with Tints of Nature, they advise to use their pre dye clarifying shampoo before use, however the Naturigin site recommends never to wash your hair first, just to do it ‘as is’, otherwise you could burn your scalp as you don’t have any natural scalp oils protecting it, or something like that. So I guess Naturigin is advising that all colouring has some dangers to our skin, whether it is a naturally derived substance or not.

Vicki

Vicki from Tas again, Well I have just tried Tints of Nature (also mentioned on the Eluxe article) and all went well, keeping in mind that I get instant dermatitis if my hands even smell a normal dishwashing detergent, but I used the wrong colour, the medium blonde (7.0) gave me my old warm brown colour back, whereas I’m trying to go lighter to ease into going natural grey, sigh.. so am going to try the Naturigin light ash blonde in a couple of weeks, will let you know how it goes. Also a point to note with Tints of Nature, they advise to use their pre dye clarifying shampoo before use, however the Naturigin site recommends never to wash your hair first, just to do it ‘as is’, otherwise you could burn your scalp as you don’t have any natural scalp oils protecting it, or something like that. So I guess Naturigin is advising that all colouring has some dangers to our skin, whether it is a naturally derived substance or not.

Elisa

I see PPD there Cat, (p-phenylenediamine), if you’ve had allergic reactions before I would guess its from this. I would not recommend using this product.

The only safe hair dye I have found is Henna hair dyes. They are time consuming and messy and some leave your hair smelling like dirt for a couple days, but Henna is the only dye that I haven’t had an allergic reaction to.

Vicki

p.s. all the so called “natural hair colour” manufacturers also make comment on the high grade of their Hydrogen Peroxide, apparently a high grade is less harmful…again more investigation would be required to determine if this is truth or marketing ploy.

Hello Mellisa, you can read my comment in the comment chain. It will be helpful for you. It doesn’t give a red shade and use the Heena as per the instructions provided in the kit , 2 step application process … Apply 1 pouch , keep for 60 minutes , you won’t notice the color after the first pouch, wash the heena and wait for 20 minutes before applying next pouch, i usually wait 30 minutes, before applying 2 pouch ….. Because, once I followed the 20 minutes, time window and got the color turned green 😝 , waiting for 30 minutes, was never complaining I usually got black …. You will usually see a good black color the next day, before that it will be slightly black.

Barb Bahlinger

Hi, I’m very allergic to ppd also .I breakout with welts from head to toes. I’m 56 now and had my first reaction at 20 .My head swelled and eyes with welts.Ended up at the ER and had the rash for 2 months.Went to a dermatologist said I may have scarring thank God I didn’t. I now use Beautiful Collection moisturizing color by Claire I buy it at Sallys .I buy B15w dark warm brown and gold color mix them half and half. There are no ppd or any bad chemical .It washes out in about 3wks.

Hi Barb, semi-permanent hair dyes normally do not have ppd and other worst offenders. If you are interested in semi-permanent hair dyes, you should definitely check out Hairprint. It gets better with every use leaving your hair healthier. Read my blog post about it here. Thanks!

Hello Everyone, I read your comments and found myself in the same situation, I was planning to color my hair to cover my gray hair and thought Madison Reed can be a good option as it doesn’t contains the harsh chemicals. Before buying, I thought to do some research as all good has been mentioned on their website and was unable to digest all of it. After reading everyone’s comment, I could figure out, it doesn’t contain PPD, Ammonia, … Etc but do contain the chemicals that’s are even more stronger than PPD, Ammonia,… Etc as substitutes. No dare to buy Madison Reed anymore.
I was getting inclined towards Madison Reed thinking it’s an organic color with no chemicals and one step application process, time saving + good coverage, but if I use it , I can now imagine, I have to put my greatest wealth I.e. Health on risk. I WON’T.

Just to share with you all, I am extremely allergic to colors and have got reactions that took me almost close to death. I am no more using hair colors, it’s been 2 years. I tried to use once in an occasion at a gap thought it might work, going in for a patch test, but was still allergic to it.

I am using a Khadi Heena these days , it’s a two step application process and it gave me no reactions. It’s very much safe to use, I can use it blindly. But, all khadi mehndi’s are not safe to use, they have 2% PPD, check the ingredients before use.

I use specifically, BH+ 100% herbal Heena , it’s the only one I use. It comes in two colors black n brown. I use the black one. Have to use it, once every two weeks, wash my hair 2wice a week. 😕 It gives me black and does not look bad, just solves the purpose, it’s bearable.

One more thing, do not use shampoo, while removing the heena. What I do is, I simply wash my hair, with good amount of water, once done, I try using only the conditioner, on the length , not the roots , so that the color stays on the roots… And prefer to tie my hair hair for 2-3 days , the next I wash, I can keep my hair loose😜 just play to hide my gray… What else I can do, when there are so less options… I adjust by managing my hair at the same time stay healthy and look just fine. don’t want to a super model risking my life.

eve

angela

I was wondering about organics No Limits here is what the description says : No Limits semi-permanent hair
color is a fantastic way to refresh shades in between coloring or to change the tone for a short period of time. The color typically lasts between 6 and 12 washes. Please note, color result will vary, depending on the natural or serviced hair color. Another advantage of this range is that the colors are free from both PPDs and PTDs, making them ideal for clients who are allergic to those pigments. No Limits use direct dyes rather than oxidative pigments. The color is supplied in a 150ml bottle with an easy to use pump.
…Ammonia, PPD and PTD FREE!

•Semi-Permanent, Direct Dye

•More Vibrant on Pre-lightened Hair

•Lasts Between 6-12 Washes

•Use In-salon or Sell as Retail

•150 ml Bottle with Pump

BUT you have to find a salon that uses it, and that is the problem.

PLTM

WOW. The information here is incredible. I am struggling to find a hair color that covers gray and doesn’t kill my hair follicles or me, in the process. I thought Madison Reed was my magic bullet. My dermatologist and I chatted and we started looking for ingredient information to see if they had great marketing or a great product. Your blog scares me to death. So glad I stumbled over it. Love how you line up the alternatives and explain them. YIKES! Obviously as of reading this, I am still looking for a safe hair color.

Donna

This is interesting stuff. I have used Madison Reed hair color twice this year. I don’t have any burning or irritation when using it, but especially since the second coloring 3 weeks ago, I have lost massive amounts of hair. 🙁 It has been freaking me out because I couldn’t pinpoint anything different in my diet, routine etc. Now I am wondering if it is due to this hair color. I have very thick hair, and it is now extremely thin at the front, and I have had to change my parting to cover it. I am wondering if it is because with the second coloring, I focused mostly on my roots, especially at the front. Anyone else experienced this?

Evelyn L O'Marah

Hi Donna,
So sorry to hear about your hair loss. In my previous comment, I completely forgot to mention that I lost LOTS of hair as well after using Madison Reed only once. Thankfully it stopped after 2-4 washes. I guess during my HORRIBLE chemical reaction, my scalp was SO swollen that my hair roots became so weak. While my scalp was swollen and itchy there were wet areas all over my head and red bumpy rashes as well. I have found a temporary dye product, Sontint Reflex. I have also order a new product, Hairprint, which I found through this site. I hope it works!

Donna

Bec

Hi Donna,
I am experiencing a lot of hair loss at the moment due to using a no Ammonia hair dye. I believe I may have a ppd allergy. It’s been 2.5 weeks since I dyed my hair. Did your hair loss settle down? I didn’t get a rash etc, just hair loss. Interested to hear how you treated the hair loss. I am feeling very stressed about it all since I already have very fine hair 🙁

Donna

I am sorry you have also experience hair loss, it is really stressful. Mine has calmed down. I was losing massive amounts after shampooing, so I tried this shampoo: https://www.amazon.com/Naturals-Organic-Hair-Loss-Prevention/dp/B016XANH32/ref=sr_1_sc_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1471032288&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=aran+oil+hair+loss+shampoo. After several washes I was back to losing just a few stands each wash…it has been great for me. I also finally when to get a hair cut, which I had been avoiding, and she said she could see lots of new growth coming through. She could even tell it had come through after losing a ton, because the length of the new hair was about a half inch, which matched how many weeks it had been since I last dyed my hair. It definitely isn’t back to what it was, but the fact that I am not losing so much and there is new growth is awesome. Best of luck!

Vanessa

I’ve used Madison Reed twice and I love how the color turns out but the first time I used it, I lost a lot of hair. I though maybe it was because I hadn’t washed my hair in a few days or brushed it. This second time (its been almost 3 months) I’m still losing hair, not as much as before but its to the point where its super thin in the front and i can see my scalp. My once thick hair is very thin. I have to assume its the hair dye because nothing else has changed in my diet or routine. I didn’t have any allergic reaction besides the hair loss. I just wanted to post this because I can’t find anywhere else where people have had this reaction besides me.

Luciana DiGiacomo

Vanessa,
Same thing happened to me. I actually googled and found out that there were others who were having the same effect so I immediately stopped….that was three months ago. I decided that it was not healthy. Just because it states that it is healthy and natural, doesn’t mean it is safe. I was alarmed by the rate of loss. Your story resonates so well with exactly how I was using it. Do NOT use it. I started using a regimen of once a week mixing a teaspoon of lemon juice with three ounces of organic unfiltered coconut oil (I buy Trader Joe’s as it is reasonable). I mix it into my hair and wait one hour and then rinse it off and wash my hair normally. It has helped tremendously and I am now losing much less hair. My roots are healthier but the colored areas are weak. I have noticed it become healthier and stronger, so there is hope. It’s not worth coloring my hair anymore. If you have issues with white hairs, which I have, I would consider checking out and seeing if you have a B vitamin deficiency with reduces the melanin for color in hair and causes white hairs to appear. I have found that now have fewer white hairs as a result of regulating my B vitamins, which showed a deficiency. This also helps to make hair stronger. Hope this helps.

Dorrie B.

Tints of Nature does have PPD in it. Vicki who wrote earlier didn’t think it did. They just have it listed as p-Phenylenediamine and they didn’t use the abbreviation. I just started using Naturcolor. It only has 1/16th of 1% of PPD and only 3% of Peroxide. I am ultra sensitive and use almost all organic and natural products. I have only used this hair dye once and so far no bad reaction. I compared the amount of chemicals in all hair coloring products and Naturcolor has the least amount of bad ingredients. They even use natural packaging. Along with Naturcolor, I will use Color Wow root concealer to avoid coloring as often as possible. With Naturcolor, I had to mix 1 oz. of 6N with 2 oz. of 6C to avoid getting a reddish color. Had it done at a salon to get the best shade for my hair initially. I would not have picked those two colors, but it looks perfect. I have medium brown hair with some blondish tones. There is just a hint of red when the light hits it a certain way, but it looks more brown with a hint of blond. Sill looking for more natural products, but I compared just about all of them (including temp. colors) and Naturcolor had less chemicals. I did recently hear about Hairprint. It still has some chemicals and more peroxide, but seems pretty good. I did hear it is not always consistant and can sometimes leave your hair darker than you want. It does lighten with a few shampoos. I also heard the company that makes Herbatint (slightly more chemicals) is working on a temporary natural hair color. They hope it will be out in Sept. 2016. I did not know of No Limits. Will check that one. I used to use Surya Henna Creme in Golden Brown. You squeeze it on right from the bottle. No mixing. Very easy. It was great for a few years, then started looking brassy. Finally had to stop using it. Thankfully, unlike most hennas, it washes out in 7 to 12 shampoos so I was able to color over it. I also tried black tea. It mostly washes out with each shampoo, but did cover the gray. It just looked very blah. I will continue to keep looking, since even a tiny amount of PPD scares me. However, the salon that I used has been using Naturcolor for 20 years on 60% of their clients and said they have not even had problems using it on pregnant women.

Theresa

I would like to know about Sallys Ion color for sensitive scalp. I had been using MADISON REED!! I didn’t realize it was so dangerous. I really don’t need that!! But I still want to color my grey hair so I might start going back to using sallys Ion

Thank you

Debra

Barb

I am allergic to PPD and wanted you all to know that after much research, I have been using CoSaMo non-permanent hair color for three years now and have been very happy with the result. It’s certainly not permanent – more of a stain. I have natural black hair (but not blue black), and like the dark brown color. I have applied it myself, but now have my stylist apply it. I buy it in bulk from either Amazon or eBay at a very reasonable price, and bring it to my cut appointment every 5 weeks. I am very pleased with the coverage, as I am not ready to go totally grey! I was considering purchasing Madison Reed to use on the stubborn hairline greys that pop back up after a couple of weeks, but am glad I found this information. Try CoSaMo – I think you’ll be pleased – and it’s as gentle as shampoo!

Hi Barb! Well, what can I say? This looks like a typical non-permanent hair color made of petroleum-based dyes and synthetic surfactants, preservatives, alcohols, silicons, fragrance, etc. Here is a good read one the first dye Disperse Black 9. This is a direct quote from it, “Disperse Black 9 contains 4-ABP which is carcinogenic for humans. Its concentration of 4.35ppm is considered tolerable in opinion SCCNFP/0797/04 (Opinion Concerning Use of Permanent Hair Dyes and Bladder Cancer).” The reason it does not contain PPD and other oxidative dyes as advertised on the website, simply because it is NOT a permanent hair color. ~Irina

V. Elizabeth

Thank you for the great review- I found it too late (a little) but it still was so helpful. I tried a patch test for MadisonReed after receiving the beautiful box and looking forward to great color without the harsh chemicals– as they advertise. I had a HUGE reaction on my arm where I tried the color–OMG. It was angry red and eventually raised up on my arm and was itchy and painful. This last 3 weeks!! Thank goodness I did not put it on my hair. I would have possibly had a trip to the hospital. PLEASE make sure you do a patch test before trying this product. I am back to Henna, which can use weekly if needed, and it has never ever caused the slightest irritation for me. I use Aubrey’s Color Me Natural, a Henna product. Have never had any reaction at all, after using for several years now.

I was researching because I wanted to find a more inexpensive alternative to Hairprint as. I use Hairprint on my grey. However reading the review…very frightened and convinced that Hairprint may be the only real solution for me available.

Hairprint does take several applications, about 4 to cover the grey initially, however, I Have NOT had any allergic reactions thankfully. This was important because I have ended up in ER over hair dyes.

Hairprint Is expensive at $45, but with no other options available, looks like it wil have to continue to be the product I use.

Too bad that Madison Reed turns out to have harsh chemicals because I wanted to find a more reasonably priced product. And was really excited that maybe there was more products being introduced on the market like Hairprint.

Guess I will stick with Hairprint for the time being until someone comes up with a product hat is more wallet friendly.

Judith

I hate to say this…i REALLY do…but the link to my hair loss…seems to be Madison Reed products. I see pics of me BEFORE i started using it…(FIFTEEN Kits so far)…and then, i see MUCH Hair Loss over the next few years. At first I was thinking it was lack of nutrients, perhaps Thyroid…but no! After going to Dr’s. my only conslusion is the Product is the Hair Thinning Agent. I did not color my hair for two months. I tracked every brushing/every washing…nary a strand of baby fine…(but ALOT ) of hair came out. I found a kit from Madison Reed that I forgot was in the other bathroom, and I used it…and due to my hair being so fine, it takes to the color Fast. I noticed my scalp BURNING, and then, as I gently rinsed my hair and applied the conditioner….GASP!!! handfuls of LONG Strands of my hair slid right out!!! I have Videos, Pictures and Wittnesses to attest to my hair loss…YET…i look at pics of me Before using Madison Reed Products…and there is NO thinning spots. NONE. One cannot argue with results. I am really bummed out, because I liked the idea of having an Exclusive Product, delievered right to my door. I know what i experienced. I am VERY upset. All i am asking from them now at this point, is to refund all of my monies spend on Madison Reed Product, thus far. My scalp is bumpy/itchy and it was NOT like that before I embarked on “doing my hair”, with Madison Reed Product. I would rather have Greys than Nothing!!

Hi, Judith: Thank you for sharing this with us. This is helpful to know for others considering using the product. Have you contacted Madison Reed? And you can also file a complaint with the FDA. ~Irina

JUDITH SWEENEY

They tell me that NO ONE ELSE has hair loss. Friends are SHOCKED To see me now. I am bald up top. i am so very upset. I find their claim very difficult to accept. I am almost totally BALD now, on the top of my hair where the solution was applied.

JUDITH SWEENEY

Somehow, MADISON REED Hair coloring products are all over the internet with Rave Reviews. They offered me 300.ish bucks and to buy a WIG for me and to pay for the 2 hr. transportation to get there. HOW have they taken all of the BAD Reviews offline?? I have such a bad story from using this product, now, they are ignoring my calls/emails…I HAD BEAUTIFUL HAIR…Now,,,i hardly have any hair, I am deeply Depressed, and they are ignoring me. How do they get away with this?

JUDITH SWEENEY

Somehow, MADISON REED Hair coloring products are all over the internet with Rave Reviews. They offered me 300.ish bucks and to buy a WIG for me and to pay for the 2 hr. transportation to get there. HOW have they taken all of the BAD Reviews offline?? I have such a bad story from using this product, now, they are ignoring my calls/emails…I HAD BEAUTIFUL HAIR…Now,,,i hardly have any hair, I am deeply Depressed, and they are ignoring me. How do they get away with this? When all that hair fell out, the Follicles went with it!!!

JUDITH SWEENEY

Now..MADISON REED has BLOCKED all my methods of Communications with them. I Demanded 30,000.00 for my bald head, the severe emotional distress, the Life I have and am missing due to being soooo upset…and they are IGNORING ME! Seems the “powers that Be” there…think this is a big joke! I have a timeline…from the first time I used the product…to as I type. The thinning that I attributed to “stress” was/is NO DOUBT from their Hair Coloring Product!!! Although their formula is touted as “Amonia Free..” it is much too strong for Baby Fine Hair, and all my life, I have had LOTS of Beautiful Baby Fine Hair. Now, my friends are SHOCKED at my Bald Head, and I have a Bag FULL of hair, not counting the hair that went down the drain, the last time I colored. One of the many issues that I have with these Criminals is this… I always put the solution on for less than Five Minutes….I did NOT apply it to my Scalp. Better Safe than Sorry, has always been my Motto. Due to the thinning, the solution Seeped down onto my Scalp, i felt burning, and in a very fast manner, I rinsed it off!!! HANDFULS of hair went down the drain, with the Follicles attached!!! WHERE ARE THE OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THIS???? THEY HAVE DISAPPEARED OFF OF THE INTERNET~~~ SINSE I STARTED DOCUMENTING THIS HORRIBLE JOURNEY. HOW CAN THIS CORRUPT COMPANY TAKE ALL THE INFORMATION OFF OF THE INTERNET????? I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE! THEY ARE SUPRESSING THIS INFORMATION, APPARENTLY. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE~~ NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS~~~ NO ONE!!

JUDITH SWEENEY

THIS EXPERIENCE WITH MADISON REED AND THE WAY I AM BEING TREATED IS JUST IMMORAL! I READ DONNA’S COMMENT ABOVE HERE…AND I WOULD LIKE TO LINK UP WITH DONNA AND OTHERS RE: THIS CLOAK AND DAGGER SNAKE OIL PURE DEVIOUS TACTIC OF MADISON REED, USING THE “NO AMMONIA” GIG, YET SUBSTITUTING A CARCINOGENIC FORMULA INSTEAD. I WAS PROMISED BY KRISTEN POLLACK TO HAVE THE COMPLETE INGREDIENTS MAILED TO ME, 2 WEEKS AGO. TO DATE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED NOTHING AS WAS PROMISED. I AM BEING JERKED AROUND, PLACATED TO THE NTH/ DEGREE AND I AM REALLY OVER IT.BIG TIME.. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN REALLY GOOD CARE OF MY BABY FINE HAIR, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, SHINEY, AND NOW, I HAVE VERY LITTLE LEFT. I HAVE A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS IF YOU WANT ME TO POST THEM. THIS IS NOT A DUPLICATE COMMENT, CONSIDER IT AN UPDATE. I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF THIS SITE!

Maureen

Wow! I wish I found this blog a few days ago! I ordered Madison Reed the other day on auto delivery. After reading here I just canceled my auto delivery and will not even try the product when it is delivered. Wish I was able to cancel the whole order but I’m only out $20. I am sorry to hear about your trouble and sincerely hope your hair grows back! I very much appreciate you sharing your story as I’m sure you have saved other women from the same situation. Best of luck to you!!

Thanks so much, Maureen. MADISON REED is still jerking me around, toying with me, so to speak….Rather than dealing with their “Claims” department, I am …for some reason, stuck with dealing with a “Colorist”….My case was so very tragic for me, it affected me emotionally, of course physically….I am surprised that from the very beginning they did NOT ask me for some strands of hair to study them. Their product is just too harsh for baby fine hair…bottom line. It has and continues to be rough dealing with the Anger of this situation. I am very appreciative of this site here. Thank You, Irina.

Interesting! I used Madison Reed for quite awhile with no problems. Then, suddenly, the color started to give me a reaction. My scalp was unbearably itchy–so much so that I had to stop using MR. However, I hadn’t connected my massive loss of hair at the crown of my head with MR until I read this blog. My hair is so sparse that I am thinking of wearing a wig. In a way, I am happy to know my hair loss could have been caused by the hair color. Perhaps my hair will grow back if I don’t use MR again. Here’s hoping.

Maureen

I called Madison Reed to inquire about returning my unopened order and they gave me a full refund and told me I don’t need to return it! After some soul searching and online research I’ve decided to let nature run it’s course and embrace my gray hair! I’m sure I will be frustrated and unhappy with my mirror for a while but I don’t want to use harsh chemicals and some of the other options are too time consuming and/or expensive! Best of luck to you all and thanks again for sharing!

Better “safe than sorry”….as I have learned the hard way. I would like to state that I see in my Photo-History the thinning over the period of using MR…and last summer, when a friend was dying I did NOT use it, i had all this new regrowth. Since Early Sept. when I did my hair…”To Feel Better”….MOST of my hair came out! I saved it into a bag! The Hype of MADISON REED Product, that it is delivered to our door….the pictures…it is all propaganda. I really appreciate This Site and all the Research that Irina has done. Folks, all we can do is embrace our later years, and how I WISH I never used Madison Reed product. The emotional gambit, the staying inside, missing doing what I “Normally” do….has led to a depression that I have earnestly had to Battle!
They REALLY DO HAVE TO KNOW……why else would anyone put out a Powder to touch up the Roots???? On the back of my head, there are NO follicles, I see NO regrowth. I still have the bumps from the Chemical Burns, the itching has subsided a bit, but it was so severe at one time, i had to sleep with cotton gloves on. Literally! A “patch test” is one thing, but the scalp…is quite another type of hair, being that it holds those precious Follicles. Irina, thanks to you for this site, and for your Research, Best to the other Ladies who have had a bad experience with hair colors.

Update…..I have very little hair left. I am so heartbroken. MADISON REED that I have saved texts and emails that they will pay for my Dermatologist Visit, are NOT answering my calls. Apparently, this is a big joke to them. My scalp shows all the way around…..i have hardly no hair left. I am so depressed. They must think it is funny with that stupid POWDER root coverage. They have known for a Looonnnggg time!!! Criminals. Spread the word, Ladies. The bumps never did go away, the pain is awful. They should be shut down and jailed.

Susan

Hello everyone. I am touching bases. It is Jan.04, 2017… my head STILL has serious bumps, and underneath the skin are big mounds, I can feel them. I have these burning headaches, and Madison Reed is STILL ignoring me. I texted the Dermatologist today asking for an Emergency Appointment. I had so hoped that I would just heal up and get on with life. That is not the way things are going. I pray that these bumps are not skin cancer, but I do know this…they are NOT Normal, and they were NOT there until that day..in Sept. when I turned 60, and I put Genova Red coloring on my head. I want to make it clear that I only put the Genova Red on my hair for less than five minutes, and my head was burning as if on fire!! Upon rinsing this mixture out, big Clumps of hair came out in my hands, down the drain it went, and hairs are STILL falling out, but not quite as badly as in the months previous to now. Friends noticed the thinning of my hair, and as I have stated, I thought that may have been due to Stress. Of course, I reconciled myself with the “no ammonia” advertising, “surely it is Not the Madison Reed Hair Product”! I told myself. Well, for Baby Fine hair…this stuff is hard core!! My scalp itches like crazy, but I do not scratch it. The last thing I need is a Secondary Infection. I would NOT recommend this product to anyone. I go to their site and see all these happy women, with their hair looking so wonderful, and I get Literally sick to my stomach, after all I have been through. I have a BAG of my hair, and there are Still big patches of Bald Spots on my head, this Chemical Burn was Very Serious. I have some new Greys at the temple and I wear them with Pride!!! Never again will I let an Advertising Ploy lure me into using a Chemical Alteration that is dangerous to my well being. This scenario has been literally One of the very Worst situations I have endured in my life. The “cavalier” attitude that the aforementioned company has about this situation is off the charts not only Insensitive but apparently they must think that either I will die very soon, or I will stop this crusade of Insight. THEY KNOW…about the contraindications of this product, why else would anyone put out a “Powder” Root touch up? Their offer to PAY for my Dermatology Appointment, apparently has been forgotten as my emails, phone calls and texts are being Ignored. I am sharing this true story to prevent some other person from the Horrible experience that I am having.

Leisa

Madison Reed uses a PPD derivative called PPD-sulfate. Someone at Madison Reed confirmed this. This version of PPD tricked some people’s bodies into thinking they were different substances and they didn’t react to the allergy but 43% of people in their study still reacted. 43%!!!! That is HUGE! Needless to say I had a horrible reaction to the PPD derivative and a week later am still itchy and red all over. This product is should NOT be recommended if you have a hair allergy. They are being very sneaky about all of this.

Heather

From a Madison Reed. Is there a reason you didn’t reach out to them? And why you didn’t disclose at the top of the page you are an affiliate? You know, in accordance with FTC regulations?

Thanks for bringing this post from IReadLabelsForYou to our attention, Kathleen! This blog has great intention of helping people live healthier lives — we love that mission! And, we did take a look at the blog and article and wanted to address your concerns regarding ingredients.

2-methylresorcinol, which is not the same as Resorcinol, possess a different molecular structure and has not been proven to have the same effects as Resorcinol. Plus, it is gentler during the hair color process.

Our replacement for Ammonia is Ethanolamine, which is a synthetic compound and more stable, meaning the color remains stable throughout processing giving predictable results. This synthetic compound is more pleasant and comfortable to use, as well as non-irritating. Additionally, when used for cosmetic purposes Ethanolamine is not contaminated with Diethanolamine, a different compound.
In most hair color, PPD is used to deliver pigment, but we use a completely different molecule that acts the same way with a significantly lower incidence of sensitivity, which is Toluene-2,5-Diamine Sulfate or TDS.

m-aminophenol is a coupler, so a Resorcinol replacement and only used in certain shades. p-aminophenol is a hair dye precursor and also a PPD replacement. We use p-aminophenol as it has a demonstrated lower sensitivity than PPD.

We fully support reviews of our products, and encourage candid conversations via our social platforms; we welcome them! What we endeavor to do is provide the millions of people who color their hair with an alternative that includes ingredients they can feel good about.

In the case of the blog you reference, we were never contacted by the author to discuss their concerns, which we would very much welcome. Also, we see in the initial post the author links to another blog post of theirs titled “Hairprint: Restoring Your Hair Natural Color.” At the bottom of that post, the author discloses they are an affiliate for this hair color company, Hairprint, and, therefore, makes a small commission from purchases made.

It took me a while to figure out how to respond to your comment because your comment is a bit confusing to me. The way I understand it is that you brought my post to Madison Reed’s attention and copied and pasted their response, beginning with, “Thanks for bringing this post . . . .” You also asked two questions of me at the beginning of this comment. Is that correct?

Let me respond to your questions first, which are “Is there a reason you didn’t reach out to them? And why you didn’t disclose at the top of the page you are an affiliate? You know, in accordance with FTC regulations?”

I’ll take your second question first. You are right that per FTC regulation, affiliate relationships need to be disclosed. I understand that, so that’s why I did so. In fact, Madison Reed agrees that I did, as they reviewed not only the post you sent, but also one of its links, discussing Hairprint, wherein I do disclose the affiliate relationship. You can see the disclosure here.

So yes, I do disclose that I am paid a small commission when people buy products I recommend, including Hairprint.

But, unlike some bloggers (who shall remain nameless) I actually have very strict criteria as to which products I approve of (and with whom I affiliate. These criteria are detailed on my website here. For me to understand if a product will be beneficial for people seeking a healthy lifestyle, I do independent research based on scientific studies. True, I listen to what companies have to say about their products, but I do not take their claims at face value; I believe it is critical to verify their claims. I only recommend products, and affiliate with them, when I find reassurance in independent sources of information that the product is safe, including scientific studies.

At that point, I proceed to the next stage of my research – trying the product on me or my family to make sure that the product works well from a practical standpoint. With Hairprint, I tried it three times over the course of over 6 months before I published the review. So yes, I get paid commissions, but my internal processes allow me to recommend products that I have already verified to be safe and that work well.

Let me give you an example of how I do not take manufacturer’s claims at face value. In Madison Reed’s response to you, they stated, “2-methylresorcinol, which is not the same as Resorcinol, possess a different molecular structure and has not been proven to have the same effects as Resorcinol.” This is an attractive claim, but they have not cited any sources for this statement. I would love to know more from them about this claim. Do you (or Madison Reed itself) have the name of a specific person with whom I can speak? When I call, I get a customer service representative who simply repeats information featured on the website

My questions are, has this statement been proven? And by whom? And to what effects are they referring?

In its response to you, Madison Reed also says that Ethanolamine is more pleasant and comfortable to use, as well as non-irritating. What I found is that “there is limited evidence that ethanolamine is a teratogen in animals. Until further testing has been done, it should be treated as a possible teratogen in humans.” (source) (Teratogens are agents that interfere with fetus development.)

You did not provide the e-mail address for the person who responded to you from Madison Reed, so I can’t contact that person directly. If he or she would like to contact me, I would love to learn more about their products.

There are two things to take away from this. First, I don’t have major issues with Madison Reed. They seem to be trying to do the right things here, but they have still made some claims in their response to you that require verification.

Second, although I do my best to inform myself, I do not always have perfect information. Companies constantly change their formulations. The body of scientific evidence keeps advancing. And companies do not always fully disclose their ingredients and methods. So I don’t write anything in stone. If companies want to contact me with updated information, I am always open to discussion. In this case, Madison Reed has never contacted me with the claims it has shared with you. Why not? Maybe because I am just a small blog. Or, maybe, they just don’t want to answer my questions, because they know I am not one to take things at face value without asking follow up questions – questions a lot of manufacturers do not want to answer. It sounds like from their response to you that they are open to a dialogue. If so, how do I get beyond the customer service person when I call to the person or persons who will know the answers to my questions? The answer for this varies with each company, and some are more forthcoming than others.

Bottom line: I am in the consumer-education business. I research and sift through available information and offer my own opinions based on what information is out there on various products. In other words, I do the type of research that we all wish we had time to do. But my opinions are just that; the more information I have, the better-informed my opinions are.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your comment! Feel free to suggest to your contact at Madison Reed to reach out to me; I’d love to talk to them. ~Irina

Mira

Maureen

A big thanks to those that mentioned henna! I did some research and ordered from henna color lab. I got the starter kit which came with a pre-treatment and sulfate free shampoo as well as 2 color packages. I got the light brown and I LOVE it! It is easy to apply, although a little more messy than I was used to but my teenage daughter applied it for me so that might have something to do with it! My scalp didn’t burn at all like the box colors I’ve always used. My natural color is light to medium brown and now more of an auburn, which I love! My hair is soft and it covered my grays. One month out and I don’t have roots showing either! I am very happy and highly recommend! BONUS: no harsh chemicals on my scalp!

Laura g

I used Madison Reed hair dye in december 2016 and I’m still dealing with a horrible reaction along my hairline and temples. I used the cream to use around the hairline and the wipe to wipe away the excess dye in the hairline. All along where I used those two products combined my skin is red and peeling every day. It looks like sunburn. I’m so mad and I received another box but I’ll never use it again. I don’t recommend using their products after my reaction and what I read above.

Jolene

What is the best hair solution that is not henna? Since I am (sort of) a blonde, I am afraid that I’ll find that redd-ish orange tint that so many have complained about online.

I absolutely do not want to go back to hair dyes that are not all natural. In fact, I have even resorted to embracing the balayage style with my natural light brown on top blended with shimmery blonde on the bottom.
However, balayage’s trend is fading and I’m ready for my hair to not be two different colors!

Any suggestions/mostly all natural/mostly organic brands will be soooo appreciated!

Judith Sweeney

I would like to once again thank you, Irina, for this site, your hard work has really been taken to another level, apparently. Thank You for keeping your principles of Honesty intact, that speaks volumes here. I went to the Dermatologist again this day, 03/17/2017. I have what is called “Grannular Annulare”, which is quite another story. I can say this much for sure….my Immune System was compromised and I have been very sick. I do want to make it clear that prior to using the Madison reed product, I was a Very Healthy Woman. I will keep you posted IF you want me to. I believe it is quite clear how I feel about the aforementioned product, so I will digress. I hope you and your family are well and thank you so very much…once again, for not succumbing to pressure, if you will, to dilute information. In life, most people want THE TRUTH…bottom line, I know I do.

Laura g

Judith I have also been very healthy my entire life and now have sebhorretic dermatitis on my scalp and hairline after using the aforementioned product twice. I have red scaly patches on my skin and I’ve been to the dermatologist and the creams aren’t even working. I’m trying tea tree oil now and that seems to be working better than the prescribed creams. I can’t believe so much can go wrong by using a hair dye.

Aria

I do get semi permanent color at salon but had been told my hair is resisting. Been using “Madison Reed” root touch up for over a year now. It hides my roots and stray grays. I try not to go to the salon often I’ve seen other clients hairs thinning and prolong my visits as much as I can. Has anyone used this product and any known problems?

Judith Sweeney

Hello all…just a quick note to let you know what is going on now. This “rash” now covers 40% of my body, I have to have many tests, blood tests, ect.ect. The danger is that these chemicals are “read” by the Immune System as Attackers and the Immune System either shuts down, or “goes to war”. I am very weak, and the fatigue is severe. I had no problems such as these prior to using Madison Reed products. I must caution one and all before you test….it comes to the door, and USED to be fancy packaging, and that is what I gave into. I am short of Breath, the Fatigue is Great, and I am Miserable. How I wish I NEVER used this product. I will keep you all posted, if I am still alive, but the posting at the top of the page re: Blood Borne Disease due to chemicals in hair product, is certainly…”Note Worthy”. Until then, I am….really sick, Furious and fighting to get better, so that Justice will be served on a company that apparently cares about the MoNEY Money, and does NOT care about the Damage done to their Customers.

Judith Sweeney

To be linear….the severe chemical burn on my head/scalp from the Madison Reed Product, caused me to get a Fungal Infection, due to my Immune System being shut down. I am awaiting my Biopsy and Blood reports. I was fine before I used this product. I have been a very sick woman, indeed. This stuff is Poison!

Evelyn

Judith, SO sorry to hear about your story. I feel so lucky since I only had to deal with the painful reaction I had to Madison Reed products for a week. My entire face was SO swollen, my scalp hurt, and itched so much. To make things worst, there was this clear and yellow stuff coming through my scalp.
I hope you get better soon!

Judith Sweeney

Evelyn, Thanks so very much for your kind words. I do feel beat up for sure. I hope you have been to the Dr. that “stuff” could mean something VERY Serious!!! My scalp after only 5 or less minutes, was burnt right down to the matter between the skull and the scalp. The Fatty Tissue. I had swirling headaches, felt like I was Stroking out, like disassociated from reality, it was Frightening!! I have to wonder if the “Wen” batches were bought up….I am sure all of the “batches” from our time periods of injury, have been destroyed, or filtered into some “other” company. Today’s “Red” is yesterdays “Blonde”….so I have found. Lord only knows where all of that Poison ended up. Three Mile Island, perhaps. Seriously, please go to the Dr. I am quite sure there are MANY more injuries out there, just not to the front….yet.

Judith Sweeney

I had to do it….just had to test the waters. On the hairs that are growing back, i put the “other” rinse/dye that I have been using all my adult life….Nary a hair came out. Yep, it is Madison Reed that is the culprit. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, that product is too harsh for baby fine silky hair. I remember back in Sept. 2016, when I called their offices and told them that my scalp was burnt….I was questioned as to which box I used. That “batch” apparently was, in my opinion, leftover WEN product, bought at a discount…or someone messed up the formula BIG TIME!! I am quite sure that NOW….with this awareness…they are on their best behavior. I am really furious at what I have gone through by the use of this product. They still have not paid for the Dermatology visit, as Promised by “Kristin”…( a “colorist” at M.R.) So, apparently they have forgotten their promises. ha! how surprising.

Margo

Anyone trying a new product takes the chance they won’t have a reaction to it. I’ve heard horror stories about every hair dye brand out there. That being said, this product did a worse job covering gray than most box jobs I’ve bought at Walgreens. The fact is you will not get good gray coverage from any healthier option, so you’re gonna have to pick which means more to you. I’ve tried everything at least once and always end up back with L’oreal. Its an option I can afford, regular trips to the salon is simply not a affordable option for me. Using root cover spray helps me stretch coloring to every 8 weeks. Is it healthy? NO, but it does what I need it to do. Using good shampoo and conditioner products also helps a great deal (Pureology). Personally I don’t feel like the salon industry should have the right to limit what products can be sold over the counter, PERIOD.

Dorrie B.

I commented about a year ago and I want to say again that I have been using Naturcolor. It has the lowest amount of PPD (only 1/16 of 1%) of any coloring product I have found. Their other ingredients are also safer than any other I have found so far. I researched extensively, since I hate using any kind of chemical on my hair or skin. I am ultra sensitive and so far in the year I have used it, I have not had a bad reaction. It has also covered my gray hair completely. I usually recolor my hair every 6 weeks. I could go longer, but the root cover up products seem to have more bad ingredients than the actual hair dye. Note: There are two other products with similar names. They have higher amounts of chemicals in them. The Naturcolor box is not very attractive because, even on that, they wanted to keep it natural and didn’t use plastic coating, etc. The only down side is the colors. Most have a reddish tint, which I didn’t want. The company recommended a hair salon that uses their products. I went once and they combined two colors that give me the perfect brown with a slight blondish tint. At my request, the salon gave me the exact mixture they used and I now do it myself at home. It always looks natural and great. The salon told me they even use it on pregnant women and have had no problems, because it is so gentle. Not very many salons use it, but the company could probably also suggest the right mixture if you can’t find the right color in one bottle. I am still hoping one day an all natural product will be available, but this seems to be the next best thing.

Judith Sweeney

What a Journey this has been and still is!! When the madison reed hair dye messed up my otherwise healthy Immune system, I got “Granular Annulare” all over my legs, thighs, and most of my body. I am still very sick, but I stick to my words that the product is NO Good!!! I am reading alot online re: various blood cancers caused by hair dyes, and those cancers manifest on the skin. I have appointments this week, so i will write more later, but i say “don’t do it”. They HAVE to know…i see the POWDER root touch up commercials everywhere, especially on youtube, so apparently there are many more cases of hair loss-scalp scald, as they are really focusing on this powder. Be careful, ladies. Irina, thanks so much for your Blog. More to come later, but there is no doubt at all that the cause of my near death experience is the dye. We should not have to “Die” from the “dye”.

Judith Sweeney

Laura g

Oh my goodness, Judith, I’m so sorry you are going through this. I believe it! This hair dye is evil. I got severe dermatitis from using it just once and I’m still suffering from it 6 months later. I doubt it will ever go away.
I hope you recover from all of this. Please keep us posted.

Luciana

Hi Irina,
Thank you for your post. After having had cancer for a number of times and successfully beating it and doing well, I decided to stop using hair coloring and use the product “Sun In” but was told that it was making my hair brassy so I wanted to find a natural hair color. I started using another brand and it was too sensitive for me so I went with Madison Reed. Since using it for the past six months (4x), my hair has thinned out considerably and my hair is so brittle that it breaks a lot so much so that I am alarmed. Today was the last straw when my husband mentioned to me that my hair did not look good anymore. In order to make it look semi-healthy, I have to wash it every day, otherwise, it looks bad. The Madison Reed product does not cover the gray and is damaging my hair. I am considering going back to using the Sun In product. At least my hair was healthier when I used it (had used it for three years). What do you suggest in bringing my hair back to a healthy state? Thanks so much. I do appreciate your information.

Hi, Luciana: I am so sorry to hear about your health problem. I believe you will benefit from deeply nourishing hair masks that you can make at home with ingredients such as avocado, eggs, olive oil, etc. How do you feel about doing that? I know it takes time. You can find some good recipes in my Permanent Hair Color Rating List, which will give a better understanding how to find safer hair coloring solutions. If you are a blog subscriber, I can give you 50% on the e-book. Let me know. ~Irina

Luciana

I am interested. I won’t be coloring my hair anytime soon. I have tried putting coconut oil prior to washing and that has made it less brittle. Ironically, had to go to using Pantene shampoo and conditioner to getting my hair a little bit smoother and I am careful about combing my hair. Luckily, I only used the MR product only three times and not venturing to use it again. How do I subscribe? Thanks. Prior to using the MR I was using “Sun In” which has hydrogen Peroxide but I am so confused. Your advice is appreciated.

Judith Sweeney

Luciana, if you have survived cancer…the LAST product you need to use is the Madison Reed product. Read the product information that Irina has provided on the processes used to derive the chemicals in madison reed hair coloring and the Ratings in the official Data Bases such as Skin Deep Data Base. The American Cancer Society tells of people who are in contact with hair dye per their jobs, and the high incidences of Cancer onset. If ANYONE on this blog spot has “contact dermatitis, then presents with “Granuloma Annulare”, know this….”Granuloma Annulare” is the body’s Response to a serious…i mean DEADLY….blood disease. I was told by the “Derm-“atologists that these bumps/plaques/rash did not mean “anything”. Look up the article from 2011 in the Journal of American Medical Association entitled “underlying hematopoietic malignancy and “underlying Myelodysplastic Syndrome” At the top of this thread is a comment about someone’s aunt and grandmother using the Permanent Hair Dye, and dying of Blood Cancers. The first thing that happens when using this product, as I myself have indeed experienced, is hair thinning, then scalp Scald, all the while, one’s Immune System is being Shut Down. I had a Very Strong Immune System until the Deep Tissue Burn by this aforementioned product. Thanks to Irina, her research and Principled Integrity, we the women, are able to conviene digitally to compare experiences. Should anyone develop a RASH…and then especially if one is subjected to a slack and Inept bunch of “Derm” atologists who cannot connect the dots on what I call “The First Causation”…Please post it, and know that our very lives are in danger from this product and the end result is NOT worth whatever propaganda their advertising tactics use, which is literally a ploy to make us feel bad/ugly for being the way we just “are”, to buy their products. They are gaining by our natural fears of growing older, our looks changing and our desire to keep our youth. I was telling these Doctors here that I have been sick ever since I started using said product, ignorantly I attributed this to stress, but, that was indeed NOT the case. jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/426712.

Luciana

I am sorry to learn about your issues and wish you the best in your recovery. It is frustrating when you try a product and don’t know the full ramifications because it is being touted as natural and healthy when it is indeed not. Yes, we are searching for ways to cover up the inevitable and I am trying to cover those grey and get lighter.

I only used the MR product twice all over and once around the root area. Never again. I did notice that my hair was so brittle and breaking and dull-looking. Every time I comb my hair, I get more hair coming out. It is scary. I am in the process of getting it restored. My naturopathic doctor has me on “Viviscal” to help with this. What I did not realize was that it was from the MR product. Thankfully, I am off the product and hope that my hair will start to grow back with a halt to the hair loss.

Thank you for your help and again, sorry for your situation.

Judith Sweeney

Thank You to Irina and to the Ladies on this site, who are so kind and compassionate. I hope everyone will take the time to read and digest the jama article re: “Granular Annulare and its connection to Myelodysplastic Syndrome which typically is the beginning state of Leukemia and other Blood Cancers. The very process used in the madison reed hair dye creates a 10 out of 10 rating of Carcinogens and that equates to an even MORE dangerous reaction on skin tissue than Ammonia. Yes, I reported my horrible experience to the FDA and I hope that the other women who have suffered and are still suffering from trusting this company and their Propaganda will report it as well. There is NO Doubt that my use of “Genova Red” caused my hair to thin, my scalp to be scalded and my Immune System to shut down, thereby nearly ending my life, due to the Inflammation. What one person is told to be “Dermatitis” or “Granuloma Annulare” is a reaction of one’s body to the poison manifesting in/on the skin. Do not take these “bumps” lightly, just as the 2011 article in jama states: Dermatologists need to recognize the connection to said reactions to the onset of Lymphomas/ Hematologic Cancers!! There is a ” of Evidence to support this correlation”. If someone on this site does not have insurance for a Biopsy, then DEMAND that madison reed pay for your Dermatologists Visit ( be sure to have the jama article handy) because the ineptitude of “skin” doctor’s is absolutely Shocking, even with Logic prevailing, I was told that this presentation of “GA” …was a result of “stress” and it would “go away in a couple of years”. 500 plus hours of intense Research later, I say to such “Dr’s ….hit the books again! I turn on YouTube…there is madison reed product, the “powder root touch up”….oh come on!!! I maintain that there is NO way that this company was not aware of the dangers of their products. NO WAY! Ladies, no one should suffer as I have, and if I have two years left to my life, I will be surprised. The effect that the madison reed hair dye had on my healthy Immune System almost caused me to “stroke out” and leaves me with a severe Disfiguration, Permanently Hyperpigmented legs and such emotional damage complete with the Fury due to me trusting the claims that their product was “safe”. Please pass the word on, Please keep posting, updating your health ( or rather, “lack of health) Issues and once again, Irina… thank you so very much for your Diligence, Honesty and Integrity. I am quite sure that there are more woman/people out there who are sick, are suffering and have a life span Shortened by MANY years due to this product and the criminals that Push it.

Laura g

Judith I am so sorry that you are going through this. It is truly infuriating and as I’ve mentioned before, I have also suffered side effects from this hair dye although not to the degree that you have. I now have seborrheic dermatitis for the rest of my life as there is no cure.
The best place for us to comment and create awareness is on Madison reeds own sponsored posts on Facebook which show up on my wall all the time. I have seen many women post a link to this blog and say “read the comments”. So the message is getting out there!
Thank you for being vigilant and following up on this.
How do you file a complaint with the FDA about a product? I would like to do the same.

Martha Clark

I just tried Madison Reed hair color last week. I had no reaction and got a compliment from a much younger man re: my new color (cool blonde).

Thanks for the information about the ingredients, may have to consider a diff product. For now I’ll stick with it as it covered gray, gave me a very nice new overall color, and I just don’t see any good alternatives to get a cool blonde on naturally light brown hair.

Judith Sweeney

Dear Laura g,
RE: The FDA, I simply went to their home site, and wrote them a letter stating the facts re: the madison reed hair dye and the damage that the carcinogenic ingredients did to my hair and scalp. Please, Laura, get a Biopsy. What you may think is “only” Seborrheic Dermatitis” may well be something else, and then, there is the “Differential”….. I was promised that My Dermatology Appt. would be “Paid For” alas, that was an empty promise on madison reed’s behalf. They owe that to their customers! The propaganda that is used in the advertising that lured ME into ordering that product, is playing on the natural apprehension of women regarding growing old, and our hair dating us. I wish you the very best, Laura, again…please get a scalp biopsy. I have learned much in this journey and we just cannot be too careful with our health.
In the beginning, we may be delighted with the color…i call that the “Ignorance is Bliss” stage. When my hair came out in clumps due to the scalp scald…the Emotional Damage done to me is just more than I can explain. Were it a case of Battling Cancer, then it would have been different. I trusted this madison reed product, and all of their claims re: “No Ammonia” ect.ect. blah blah blah. Why do you think they are now pushing the powder root touch up? THEY KNOW….They always knew! Apparently Money is much more important that the Health of the Women who are simply looking for a Good Product. I liken this scenario to say, putting one’s child into the bath, pouring a “bubble product” into the bathwater, then our child starts SCREAMING and their skin is being Burnt!!! Same Principle! You would have Trusted this product, and yet, look at the harm done!!! So, for now…one may have a measure of satisfaction re: the Color of their hair, but the bigger picture, and the Process used by madison reed is literally a Time Bomb on a Woman due to the dangers involved which is proven by statistics and research as the Information on Irina’s Blog shows. Proceed with Caution…I cannot/will Not recommend this product to ANYONE. Knowing what I know, after going through what I have, all my hair falling out, the depression that followed, my Immune System shutting down, my Health being LOST…no way!! I trusted Madison Reed product, and not only is it a Carcinogenic Product, but the “Colorists” lied to me re: making things right with me, their CEO is totally not concerned with the ramifications of this dangerous product, so we are on our own. Thank You again to Irina for her Integrity and Research, and to the Women on this site who have been so very encouraging to me. For those who have not been Damaged YET….I am begging you to read all of the information provided about this product, and proceed with Caution. The suffering is NOT worth the small benefit of color, when it can mean your very LIFE! Just think of all of the pathogens, fungi, bacteria, virus’ ect.ect. that we are exposed to every single day. A weakened Immune System is NOT what we need to survive. The result of using this product, is exactly that…Immunosuppression and then, we are fodder for any/everything that can literally take us down, literally do us in, in fact, lead to our death! A fungus in the soil, whilst gardening, with a weakened Immune System, could lead to our Death. I was very close to Sepsis, i have a long journey back to health, but I firmly do feel that my life has been greatly cut short due to the adverse affects of this bad product. I hope that more comments and Testimonies will be coming forth and I thank you all and wish you the very best. God Bless.

Judith Sweeney

The fact that usage of madison reed product can shut a persons immune system down, should be taken VERY Seriously! That is what happened to me. Things that we are exposed to every day, for example, Fusarium…in nature, or say, mold or even poolside or at the Rec.Center can KILL a person. “Bumps” that a dermatologist may tell you is “contact dermatitis” can be a presentation of “dysplasia” which is the state of cells prior to becoming full blown Cancer. This product should be Banned and the company shut down with Legal Action taken! Look up a song on YouTube..there is madison reed w/ their “powder root touch up” song and dance. It is horrible that the result of something as innocent as a woman wanting her hair to look pretty can end her up on a slab. Literally. It would be like putting a grandchild in the tub with “bubbles” and their skin burnt off of their bodies, then they get sick and die from the chemicals used. Irina, your site is really important and I really appreciate all of your research. I have spent the last 8 months researching skin conditions and I have learned Much! I will find out what the Oncologist has to say this week, but until the day my scalp was burnt, I had a Healthy Immune System. NO ONE should have to go through this, use Caution, Ladies. From hair dye to cosmetics, use caution. Ah, if I only knew THEN…what I learned the hard way.

Judith Sweeney

re: The most recent reports of Hair Loss from Madison Reed Product….Yep, it IS the dye. I did NOT want to believe it, because it hurts our feelings to Trust a Company, and then be injured or have our Hair Fall out during use of the Product. First, from My experience, go to your Dr. and get your Hormone levels checked. The Process used by Madison Reed Co. to Get that “beautiful color”….monks up the Immune System AND the Hormones. You could have an “Alopecia like” happening, although it is NOT Androgenic Alopecia in and of itself. I am taking this from My Biopsy Report. Rinse your scalp with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar…to restore the PH of your skin, and Log all of the stages of your hair loss with photographs! The incidence of Lymphomas and Permanent hair Dyes is VERY High!!! Especially for Salon Employees who are exposed to it on a regular basis. IF you cease using this product, your hair MAY grow back. I hope for your sake that it does. Invest in a good multi-Vitamin, Biotin,Vit.D3 and Fish oil caps, eat Salmon, Avocado’s, eggs….I literally was BALD up top, and the Lesions hurt so badly, this continues to be a real horrid Journey.Research and for this posting.